Claimants opposed the designation of two locations as proposed “ecotowns.” These designations were part of a larger government campaign to establish a number of ecotowns as exemplar green developments to serve as models of best practices in urban sustainability and climate change resilience. Claimants challenged the designations asserting that the designation process lacked sufficient public consultation, including a failure on the part of the government to provide adequate information and time for public involvement. The court found that the government’s approach to consultation was sufficient and dismissed the claim.

Key environmental legal questions:

Challenge designation process for “ecotowns”